Child sex abuse inquiry: Priest 'tried to control' investigation
Police raised concerns that the head of a Roman Catholic boarding school tried to "control" a child sex abuse investigation, an inquiry has heard.
A former North Yorkshire detective said officers were "excluded" from inquiries at Ampleforth College in 1995 and 2002.
But former head teacher Father Leo Chamberlain denied influencing a boy's parents during a phone call in 1995.
FATHER LEO CHAMBERLAIN |
He told the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse there had been "no skulduggery".
The Catholic Church is one of 13 public organisations being scrutinised by the inquiry, which is being headed by Prof Alexis Jay.
'Direct approach'
Det Supt Barry Honeysett said he had told Fr Chamberlain in 2003 that he did not trust the private school, because alleged victims of abuse had been spoken to by staff before police were called in.
Mr Honeysett, who led an inquiry into abuse at Ampleforth College, said: "The issue was largely around the delay in the police becoming involved.
"A direct approach had been made to the victim which I felt was inappropriate."
Earlier in the hearing, the priest was questioned about another policy officer, Det Sgt Hartnett, who was involved investigating allegations at Ampleforth.
Lead counsel to the inquiry Riel Karmy-Jones put it to Fr Chamberlain that Det Sgt Hartnett believed the priest was trying to "control the investigation".
Fr Chamberlain, who began working at the school in 1961, said the suggestion was "completely subjective".
He said he had to spoken to the boy's parents to inform them of the situation and in doing so, had "made no obstruction" to the police inquiry.
Evidence was heard that the Abbott of Ampleforth, Fr Timothy Wright, went to visit a complainant of child sex abuse, causing mistrust between the Church and North Yorkshire Police.
Speaking via video link, Fr Chamberlain - head teacher at Ampleforth between 1992 and 2003 - said police thought there was a conspiracy between him and Fr Wright "to close the matter down", which he said was not the case.
Fr Chamberlain told the inquiry that during the 1980s, a teacher who had abused pupils would "be got rid of and it was thought wrongly that to keep it all very quiet was in the best interests of the victim".
'Goldfish bowl'
An earlier hearing was told the former head teacher was warned about employing Fr Piers Grant-Ferris - who was later jailed for abusing boys.
Grant-Ferris, who the pupils had nicknamed "Pervy Piers", was convicted of 20 counts of indecent assault in 2006.
The inquiry was shown a letter by a psychologist employed by the school, Elizabeth Mann, who wrote in 2003 that Grant-Ferris and a second monk posed a risk to pupils.
At the time, Fr Chamberlain said he thought it was safe to employ Grant-Ferris in the abbey's shop, which he had described as "something of a goldfish bowl", regularly visited by guests and students.
He told the inquiry: "Because it was a very visible place I thought well, we could probably make it work. But I think I could have been wrong about that."
I get the impression that this priest still does not fully appreciate the gravity of his offences or of the devastating effect he has had on young people's lives. Rather,he attempts to create a fan base for himself while he is in gaol and confidently presumes he will have a high degree of support and popularity even to the extent of making other prisoners jealous!
ReplyDeleteIt was a very shortsighted misjudgement on the part of the Principal to employ him in the school shop, a place where he was still in daily contact with potential victims.
Anon @ 01:33: that the Principal kept him in contact with potential targets,and that Grant Ferris appears to have little insight into the effects of his abuse, is once again a demonstration of how little understanding RC clerics in general have of the true insidious nature and effects of sexual abuse.
ReplyDeleteIt could be said that the notion of "sin" predominates their thinking to the extent that once the "magic formulae of confession/absolution" is involved, the "unfortunate slip from" grace is remedied, and that's all that is necessary. There's no understanding of the recidivist nature of the sexual abuser, and even less of the impact upon victims.
MMM
Spot on!
DeleteExcellent comment MMM.
DeleteIs it possible that some of these guys because of the environment they live in are not aware of the gravity and consequences of some of their actions. This is not an excuse but I have a feeling that some "churchy types" live in cloud cuckoo land without realising. The sooner proper reform happens the better.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience, the Church excels in denial and minimalisation. It didn't happen and if it did...it doesn't really matter.
DeleteA priest once asked me (of clerics who sexually abuse children): how responsible are they?
ReplyDeleteHis question made me angry; it then made me think. Are these men driven by urges so strong that they are largely uncontrollable?
I am not attempting to make excuses for abusive behaviour, nor am I including sexual predators. I am thinking of those men who know that acting upon these urges is morally, and deeply, wrong, but who know that they are driven by a sexual compulsion.
Magna, you are quite rightly asking an important question.
DeleteThese are the steps I think appropriate:
1. Listen to the victim's full story.
2. Refer the matter immediately to the police for investigation.
3. Get the victim counselling and help.
4. Remove the priest, until the matter is resolved, from ministry - giving him the presumption of innocence until proven otherwise.
5. Let the courts deal with the priest. If he is found guilty permanently remove him, if innocent restore him and his good name.
6. A guilty priest should be punished by the courts and given the opportunity to engage in therapy.
7. If the priests is proven guilty, give the victim generous compensation and continuing support.
It is important to offer all abusers therapy in the hope that such therapy will stop them reoffending.
I agree with you completely, Bishop Pat.
DeleteI wonder is there a blog reader who knows about such therapy, or, better still, has been involved in administering it professionally. How informed is it? How effective is it?
Christian morality is a pile of show and hot air. The paedophile gets a loophole with, "I thought God helped me be in control" and "Its not much of a sin if an urge came over me. It may not be a sin at all in fact."
DeleteI have been involved, but largely from the assessment of 'dangerousness', from perspective of children's safety/protection from potential abuse.
DeleteMy professional practice/knowledge is very many years 'out of date', but given that human nature won't have changed very much certain absolutes remain:
Believe nothing (From the abuser) without proof.
Rehabilitation is a non starter without full and frank admissions of guilt, acceptance of full responsibility, absence of 'blaming the victim, acknowledgement of propensity to further abuse combined with self awareness and resolve to avoid putting oneself in potentially abusing scenarios (eg being alone with minors).
There are other factors to weigh up. I consciously say weigh up, for in assessments, for the safety of the children, the scales must weigh heavily against the abuser, and avoiding the dangerous "rule of optimism " assessment must be evidence based, and certainly not on giving the 'benefit of the doubt '.
The points I've given are based on my recollection of research largely by the probation services in USA and UK and derived from work with convicted abusers. Utter deviousness was a prevalent factor among abusers.
I do not believe "therapy will "cure" all abusers. Perhaps there's a parallel with alcoholism in that the abuser has to acknowledge a likely potential to abuse and consciously and permanently determine to remove him/her self from all likely temptation.
MMM
A good post, 11:26. In fact, very good.
DeleteIs there really such a thing as sin? Yes and no.
Thanks, MMM @ 11:53.
DeleteI have ministered to many victims and a few abusers.
ReplyDeleteI have sat in on group therapy for abusers run by the Probation Board.
There is no "cure" for a sexual attraction.
There is life long management - a bit like AA.
It involves regular meetings for life.
In Belfast there is a Sex Anonymous group.
One married man I referred to it for sexual addiction to prostitutes has found it very helpful.
All therapy is successful/unsuccessful depending on the ability of the therapist and the real commitment of the client.
Thank you.
DeleteLaurence Soper of Ealing Abbey has been found guilty today. At one time he had 182000 in a Vatican bank account....so not much chastity or poverty there!!
DeleteThat is such good news!
Deletehttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42257548
DeletePat, are you hearing anything about more scandal in Down and Connor?
ReplyDelete" A pedophile is often very attractive to the children who are potential victims. " I think this sort of sentence will be categorized as hate speech once a rational psychological understanding has been reestablished. http://www.minddisorders.com/Ob-Ps/Pedophilia.html
ReplyDeleteIs this in fact from the DSM manual or some other source?
oops, wrong thread. Anyway the quote is from the iffy Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, not from DSM
Delete